Motion picture apparatus



Aug. 7, 1934. E. L. OPPERMAN 1,969,474

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1932 EmiZLOPpQHIZaJL,

Patented Aue. 7, 1934 1..,9691474 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Emil L. Opperman, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 4, 1932, Serial No. 596,797

7 Claims. (Cl. 271-23) This invention relates to photography and more sprocket 9. The lfilm is looped at 10 and is passed particularly to motion picture apparatus. One through a lm gate consisting of members 11 and object of my invention is to provide a means for 12 after which it passes into a loop 13.

, securely holding a motion picture film on a film The film may be intermittently moved past the moving sprocket. Anot object of my invengate by means of any known type of pulldown 60 tion is to provide such a evice with a means for apparatus not shown. readily positioning the film. Another object of After the loop 13 the film passes a second my invention is to provide a film pressing mernpressed member 7 which holds the film against ber definitely locked against the normal thrust the teeth 8 of the sprocket 9 and thence the film of a film away from a film sprocket. Another passes the partitionplate 14 to the take-up reel'5 object of my invention is to provide a snap latch 15 which is mounted on a shaft 16.

for holding a film presser in place and one which The presser 7 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is can be readily released for threading the motion preferably made from a flat metal plate. The picture machine. Still another object of my inbody portion 17 of this plate is provided with a vention is to provide a snap latch which is free formed over flange 18 at the top, theends of this 70 from the usual type springs and consists of a flange being extended at 19 and 20 to each side single formed up metal part and other objects of the body plate 17. will appear from the following specification, the The lower edge of plate 17 has a similar type novel features being particularly pointed out in of flange 21 which is extended towards both sides, the claims at the end thereof. one end 22 supporting a bearing 23 and the other 75 Coming now to the drawing wherein like referend 24 being bent downwardly forming an end 25 ence characters denote like parts throughout: adapted to project through a slot 26 in the mech- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a motion picture anism plate 2. machine here shown as a camera construction in The bearing 23 snugly fits a post 27 which is accordance with and embodying a preferred form riveted to the mechanism plate and which has an 80 of my invention; enlarged end .28 from which a tapered shoulder 29 Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail partially in secextends upwardly a short distance, this shoulder tion of a film presser in a latched position; g terminating in a shaft 30. Shaft 30 and shaft 27 Fig. 3 is a similar view of a film presser but constitute a fixed hinged pintle upon `which the 30 with the parts in position to release the spring presser 7 may turn. The upper arm 19 is provided 85 latch; with a bearing 31 which engages the post 30 in Fig. 4 iS a fragmentary detail end elevation, the such a manner that the upper lug may slide about hook-like latch member engaging the end of a as well as turn on the post 30.

fixed stud; and The loweil bearing 23, however, cannot slide Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on upon post 27 but can merely turn on this post 90 line 5-5 of Fig. 2. and the enlarged portion 28 above this bearing While I have described in the accompanying tends to hold lug 22 flat against the mechanism drawing my invention, as applied to a motion pic-4 plate 2. ture camera, it is quite obvious that these pressers The lug 20, as best shown in Fig. 4, is provided 40 and sprockets are equally suitable for any motion with a pair of downwardly extending arms 32 and 95 picture apparatus in which lm is adapted to be 33, the 1atter being preferably inturned at the held 1113011 a SPIOCke'c t0 be mOVed throughjthe bottom as shown. A handle 34 may be attached machine. Thus motion picture projectors, printto the lug 20, this `'handle serving to operate the GIS and the like may be equipped With my snap latch which is formed by the hook-like memimDI'OVCl fOIm 0f DIGSSBI' member. ber 33 and the rounded top 35 of a fixed member 100 III Fg- 1 8. typical Small mOtOIl picture ma- 36. This fixed member is preferably in the form chine is shown as comprising a body portion 1 in of a stud or post and is attached to the mechawhich a mechanism plate 2 is mounted around nism plate 2 at one end and is provided with a which a wall 3 extends upwardly in a well known flat head 37 at the other end. i manner. The front wall 3 may Support a lens The lug 22 can freely turn on the post 27 but 105 mount 4 in which the objective is located. cannot slide on this postL Consequently, if the A supply reel 5 0f film may be mounted 0n the handle 34 is pushed in the direction shown by post 6 and a film F may be led from this supply the arrow in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 the narrow arms 32 reel under the presser designated broadly as 7 by and 33 are' released from the round headed which it is held in contact with the teeth 8 of the fixed member 35 when the upper lug 19, through 110 its elongated bearing 31, is permitted to slide about the post 30.

This sliding movement bends the lower flange 21 so that the lug 22 actually serves as a spring to normally hold the presser member in its operative position in which the film F may-be held against the teeth 8 of the sprocket 9.' In-.this position the snap latch 33--35 is in engagement.

When swinging the presser member to its operative position it is not necessary to press the handle 34 in the direction shown by the arrows since the inwardly curved hook like member 33 can readily snap over the rounded topof the fixed post 36.

However, the movement of the presser in the reverse direction cannot take place without rocking the presser 7 upwardly as above described torelease the latch member.

'I'he flat plate 17 has a cut-out tongue 39 which, as bestshown in Fig. 5, is bent inwardly at 40 in a reverse curve. A flat edge 41 of this member presses against the lower edge of a film F holding it on the smooth raised ange 42 of the sprocket 9. This sprocket has teeth 8 only on the upper edge.

As also shown in Fig. 5 the inwardly turned edge 18 of the plate 17 holds the film F upon the sprocket teeth although there is suiiicient space between the inner edge 43 of this flange and the edge 44 of the sprocket to permit the film to move freely without friction.

The lug 25 by extending down into the slot 26 cut in the mechanism plate 2 limits the movement of the presser '7 so that it can only be swung about the hinged pintle a sufficient distance to permit the film to be readily loaded into position.

The operation of this presser is extremely simple. With the pressers in an operative position lm F is drawn from a supply roll 5, passed between the presser 7 and the sprocket 9 looped around at 10 is passed through the gate 11-12 and is passed through the opened presser 7 after looping at 13 and is nally attached to the take-up reel 15. Film may then be moved slightly to position it on the teeth 8 of the sprocket and the presser member 'l may ber closed by pressing in the direction shown by .the arrow in Fig. 1.' This pressure causes the hook 33 to ride up over the top of the curved fixed member 35 and snap into place in which place the presser members arefirmly held by the snap latch. It will thus be seen that the latching operation takes place when the presser moves radially about the hinged pintle 30 and also when it moves in its own plane, that is, when the presser is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2'to that shown in Fig. 3. This movement in its own plane is permitted by the slot.31 engaging the hingedpintle 30 and by they springiness of member 22 which is only able to turn on the post 2'7. After the lm has been exposed and another film is to be placed in the camera the presser members may be readily opened by pushing the' handle 34 in the'direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, thus releasing arm 32 and latch 33 from the rounded knob 35.

While this presser can be very easily operated it is, nevertheless, firmly locked against a movement away from the sprocket 9, such as might be caused by improper winding of the lm. At the same time the construction is such that the gate may be readily swung open.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patt' ent is:

nation with a sprocket for moving lm, a presser member for holding said lm in engagement with said sprocket, and a stationary shaft for supporting said presser member, of a resilient connection supporting said presser member both for rotation about the axis of said shaft and for movement in a plane through said axis of said shaft.

2. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with a sprocket for moving film, al presser member for holding said film in engagement with said sprocket, and a stationary shaft for supporting said presser member, of a resilient connection and a loose connection, both between said presser member and said shaft, supporting said presser member both forv rotation about the axis of said shaft and for movement in a plane through said axis of said shaft.

3. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with a sprocket adapted to advance a film, a pressermember adapted in operative position to hold said lm in engagement with said sprocket, and a. stationary shaft for supporting said presser member, of a resilient connection supporting said presser member for rotation about the axis of said shaft and permitting ovement of said presser member in a plane through said axis of said shaft, and a latch including a movable member on said presser member and a stationary member adjacent said sprocket, which are adapted in engaging position to hold said presser member in said operative position and which are relatively movable in a plane through the axis of said shaft during movement into said engaging position.

4. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with a sprocket adapted to advance a film, a presser member adapted in operative position to hold said film in engagement with said sprocket, and a stationary shaft for supporting said presser member, of a resilient connection between said presser member and said shaft, supporting said presser member for rotation about the axis of said shaft and permitting movement of said presser member ina plane through said axis of said shaft,` and a latch including one element on said presser member and another element adjacent said sprocket for engaging and holding the first mentioned element in operative position of said presser member, and including co-operating surfaces on said elements for moving said presser member in a plane through the axis of said shaft and against the action of said resilient connection during movement of the presser member into operative position.

5. In a motion picture apparatus, the'combination with a sprocket adapted to advance a film, a presser member adapted in operative position to hold said film in engagement with said sprocket, and a stationary shaft for supporting said presser member, of a resilient connection between said presse'r member and said shaft, supportingsaid presser member for rotation about the axis of said shaft and permitting movement of said presser member in a plane through said axis of said shaft, and a latch including a catch on said presser member and a round headed post mounted adjacent said sprocket, and co-operating surfaces Aon said catch and said postV to raise said presser member against the action of said resilient connection during movement of the presser member into operative position.

' 6. In motion picture apparatus, the combination with a sprocket, of a hingedly mounted presser member movable to and from the sprocket, a hinged pintle supporting 'said presser member,

said presser member engaging said hinged pintle'150 with two spaced bearings one bearing being sper with two spaced bearings one bearing being apertured to slide and turn upon said pintle and the tured to slide and turn upon said pintle and the other bearing closely fitting the plntle being other bearing closely fitting the pintle being adapted solely to turn thereon. adapted solely to turn thereon said second men- 7. In motion picture apparatus, the combinstioned bearing including a, resilient arm adapttion withssprocketmt shingedly mounted pressed to spring when said nrst mentioned bearing er member movable to and from the sprocket. s slides upon said pintle. hinged pintle supporting said presser member, said presser member engaging nid hinged pintls EMIL L. OPPERMAN. 

